Trying Week

Dear friends and family:

This week was a trying week for me and my companion. Because of accomplishing standards last week, we were all geared up to work with all of the awesome people we had in church last Sunday. But, as the week went on, all of them had things come up that caused them to not want to go to church again or even to see us again, in some cases. It was a struggle to keep our spirits high as all of these things were happening. On Saturday morning, it was looking bleak. We didn't have anyone committed to come to church.

But then we had a miracle! We were finally able to meet with Pauline, one of the investigators who came to church last week. She wasn't interested in being baptized until after she and her fiancee were married next year. But we visited them together, taught the restoration, and then testified about baptism. They wanted to be baptized, but still not until after they were married. (They were not living together, so it shouldn't have been a problem.) So we changed strategy and helped them to realize that they could be legally married this week, and then baptized, and they could have a big celebration for both afterward. Next year, for all we care. They both thought this was a great idea, and so they met with Brother Acevedo for the marriage counseling class after church. They are still very excited to be married, and then to be baptized. If the bishop is available this week, they will be married and baptized this week. If not, then it will be next week.

This will be the first couple that I help to be married on my mission so that they can be baptized. Elder Fisher and I were very careful to emphasize the importance of being sealed in the temple a year after their baptism, and they are both looking forward to that too.

We, unfortunately, fell short of the standards of excellence this week. But we'll repent, and we'll get them this week instead! And then the week afterward! And on and on indefinitely!

Again, we can't wait for specialized conference this Wednesday. We're a little bit bummed that it's all the way in Boynton Beach, even though it would be much less of a drive to get to Miami Lakes the next day. We're going to have to be very careful with our miles these next ten days...

So, Grandma had amnesia temporarily? That doesn't sound like fun. How much of the day did she remember after prodding her memory?

And Gabe is going to NYC. I've always wanted to go to New York, all of you are so lucky!

Thanks,

Elder Slade